Toronto Mike'd: The Official Toronto Mike Podcast - Dave Hodge Returns: Toronto Mike'd #411

Episode Date: December 13, 2018

Mike chats with legendary broadcaster Dave Hodge about his return to Hockey Night in Canada before he unveils his 100 favourite songs of 2018....

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to episode 411 of Toronto Mic'd, a weekly podcast about anything and everything. Proudly brought to you by Great Lakes Brewery, Propertyinthe6.com, Paytm Canada, Palma Pasta, Fast Time Watch and Jewelry Repair, and Census Design and Build. jewelry repair, and census design and build. I'm Mike from torontomike.com, and joining me to kick out his 100 favorite songs of 2018 is legendary broadcaster Dave Hodge. Welcome back, Dave. Mike, thank you for seeing me.
Starting point is 00:01:02 You're booked tighter than some medical specialists that I have trouble with getting an appointment. So I'm wondering if you see patients on the side. But anyway, good for you. And yeah, this is my day or my time of this day anyway. Let's just say when Dave Hodge calls, you accept the charges. No, you can say that. But it's a pleasure and it is my third time, so I know how to get here. I know what happens once I am here. And I know what happens after I leave.
Starting point is 00:01:32 People do react to what we do, and that's really the most important part. I'm tickled pink. I don't think I've ever used that expression before, but hey, it sounds appropriate. I'm tickled pink that you chose to unveil your top 100 of 2018 here. I mean, I can't think I've ever used that expression before, but hey, it sounds appropriate. I'm tickled pink that you chose to unveil your top 100 of 2018 here. I mean, I can't wait to hear your top 100.
Starting point is 00:01:50 Well, sorry, we're only going to hear the top 11 songs, but we're going to hear what the top 100 are. And fantastic. I loved kicking out the jams with you previously. Let me just tell everyone listening, actually, if they want to go back and get more Dave Hodge on Toronto Mike. So it's your third time. Your first visit was episode 191.
Starting point is 00:02:11 Mike chats with TSN's, this is written at the time, TSN's Dave Hodge about his years at Hockey Night in Canada, the pen flip, his work on TSN's The Reporters, and his hope he'll never be labeled a homer. That was a great episode 191,
Starting point is 00:02:28 but you came back for episode 302, and you named your, and this is still mind-blowing to me, but you named your 100 favorite songs of all time. Amazing. Some would say this is a little more amazing if you want to use that term, because I'm obviously
Starting point is 00:02:45 limiting myself to one year as opposed to all time. And a few rules that I follow, you will find that I am limiting myself to one song per artist on this list, which allows me to recognize and mention more artists than if I were to list three or four by the same artist. And it would be easily done because there are a lot of artists that obviously I like more than one of their songs. And you said that we will be hearing 11 songs. And the way to explain that is, well, first of all, why do I do a hundred? Because you might prefer 10 and I can't stop at 10. I'm sorry. I keep going and then it's 20 and I'm still having trouble leaving number 21 out of the top 20. So away we go until I stop at a hundred. And I will tell you
Starting point is 00:03:38 that I could have, I could have gone, uh, made, made this list longer, but, um, Hey, let's not be ridiculous, but number 11 has, um, there is a necessity to play number 11. We'll explain it when we get there. Um, simply because it belongs in the top 10 too, as well, but there was no room yet. I still want to hear it. I want you to hear it. I want everybody to hear it because it is some special piece of music. So there's a little bit of suspense and obviously, hopefully some with respect to which songs will precede it in the top 10, preceded in terms of number as opposed to the way we're playing them because we'll go 10 to 1. Let's not get too
Starting point is 00:04:23 complicated. No, Dave, before we start kicking out the jams, we will catch up here. And I have some questions from your fans and some gifts for you as well. But let me just, in case I don't get to this later, let me just tell you, like, I use the word amazing and you're right. This is more amazing because I don't think I personally,
Starting point is 00:04:42 and I love music, but I don't think I personally, and I love music, but I don't think I personally heard songs from 100 different artists that released their music in 2018. Am I phrasing that right? I don't think I could come up with 100, let alone my 100 favorite. That's tremendous. Well, people might wonder what else I do with my life,
Starting point is 00:05:01 and I do less now than I did in 2017, 2016. Um, obviously we'll, we don't need to travel down that path, but, um, not only do I know all of these, uh, songs and, um, um, you know, I, I know of the artists or I know some of the artists, uh, personally, but I own each of these songs and the albums from which they were taken all on disc. That was going to be a question. I was going to ask you how you consume your music. So you buy CDs. Right. Well, in one way or the other, yeah, not the way we used to buy them. And the shopping experience is long gone and it's too bad because I used to love to walk through, you know, HMV or you name it. Well, we'd go back that far to Sam's and A&A's. experience leafing through the records or the CDs or whatever, then buying them, and then
Starting point is 00:06:08 the anticipation of getting them home and listening to them. And that could have been hours spent that way. Now it's you're sitting at your computer and bingo, there you are. But not quite the same, is it? It lacks that. No, but I am still tied to the pleasure of listening to the album, to having the album in my possession one way or the other, and listening to it as it was meant to be listened to, I believe. Ask any musician about the importance of grouping songs in a particular order and having them all available on an album, on a CD, on a piece of vinyl. And they think it is instrumental in what they do.
Starting point is 00:06:54 And for me, it's the same in the way I listen. Yet not many people these days need to listen that way or do listen that way. And I think there will come a day when nobody does, which is sad. That is sad, but this was a happy moment. So very recently, in fact, it's ironic I played this song, which of course could not be played on your,
Starting point is 00:07:18 could not be played on your return to Hockey Night in Canada. But again, guys my age and older and some younger, think of this song when they think to Hockey Night in Canada. But again, guys my age and older and some younger, think of this song when they think of Hockey Night in Canada. This is the song. And they think of the blue jacket, which was the occasion on which I did return to Hockey Night in Canada recently for a brief cameo appearance that included the wearing by me and everybody of the famous Baby Blue
Starting point is 00:07:47 Blazer, if you're old enough to remember them. And if you weren't, you saw them for the first time a couple of weeks ago. But I said at the time that people remembered two things about Hockey Night in Canada before they remembered really anything else, including us. remembered really anything else, uh, including us. Uh, we have to be humble enough to realize that, that the jacket was, was more famous than we were. And so was the piece of music that you just played. It, it followed us everywhere and it still does, even though it's not in the, uh, in the possession of, of Hockey Night in Canada officially. I think there may be a day when it gets back there, but I won't make any predictions.
Starting point is 00:08:30 That's where it belongs, let's say that. And that's a composition by Dolores Clayman. I believe that's her work, the Hockey Night in Canada theme song. Can you tell me how that came about? Firstly, I guess before you tell me how it came about, did you ever think you'd be back on Hockey Night in Canada? Well, no, for a variety of reasons, but a week earlier I heard that, that they would, they would
Starting point is 00:08:53 celebrate the jackets by, by putting them on everybody, most of whom had never worn them before. And I guess, I can only guess because nothing was explained to me. It was just sort of, you know, you want to come on and here's why. But I guess I was representing all of the people who used to wear the jacket, don't anymore, either because they've moved on to other things or to another life. So I was honored, most honored on that basis to be there.
Starting point is 00:09:25 And obviously it was an experience that was pleasant while I was there. And the response was quite overwhelming in terms of the people who still do relate to the jacket. And had the music been there, would have said the same about the music. And I guess some of them remembered me. Oh, absolutely. And it really was a nice moment in the social media, for example, all of a sudden, uh, you and the blue, you and Ron McLean on the desk in the blue jackets, that was sort of a, an image that we all kind of looked at and felt, felt warm, fuzzy, I want to say. And I want to ask you if there's any possibility
Starting point is 00:10:07 you could return to, Rogers runs Hockey Night in Canada, but could you return to Rogers and be on Hockey Night in Canada again? Is this a possibility at all? Well, that's up to them. But I would be as open to that, given the particulars, uh, as I was to, uh,
Starting point is 00:10:28 to, to going, uh, and doing five or six minutes. But otherwise I'm, uh, you know, I'm, I'm leisurely, um, and uncertainly retired. Let's say that. Who, who was it exactly? Are you willing to disclose who called you and asked you if you'd be willing to do a few minutes on Hockey Night in Canada?
Starting point is 00:10:51 Apparently because some of my information has changed in the last year, they had trouble locating me or, or so it was. They could have tweeted you. That's what happened. It was a tweet from, from Elliot Friedman who said they were looking to, to get ahold tweeted you. That's what happened. It was a tweet from Elliot Friedman who said they were looking to get a hold of me. Oh, very interesting.
Starting point is 00:11:10 They could have contacted me. I know how to get a hold of Dave Hodge. Now, Dave, have you considered podcasting? That would be one way you could continue to broadcast. You have a lot of insight to share, and I'm just looking for like a platform where we could consume it. Let's talk later. It's something that I've considered. It's been suggested to me. I need the right format and maybe a kick in the ass to make me do it. So we'll see
Starting point is 00:11:43 what 2019 brings. No, we'll definitely talk. I know that there's an audience for Dave Hodge, that's for sure. And if Rogers doesn't do what they should do, which is throw a contract at you today, then you've got to roll your own, as they say. I'm seeing a lot of great broadcasters are having to roll their own and own their own brand. That seems to be the way of the world now. Yeah, no commitments, but I'm open to a lot of things, and that's one of them.
Starting point is 00:12:12 Actually, I have a question from Buffalo Phil. He calls himself Buffalo Phil. But before I ask that, I want to share with the audience, I guess, that Bob Cole was going to do his final game this month, and then a press release came out from Rogers, and it says he's got several more games on the docket, and he's going to finish up with
Starting point is 00:12:31 Leafs and Habs. I think it's the last game in the regular season. So Bob Cole, we get him, at least we get him to the end of the season. I would like to hear him in the playoffs, but I don't make those decisions. Dave, what do you think of Bob Cole winding down 50 years?
Starting point is 00:12:48 I wish there were 51 and then 52. I'm a fan like most people who enjoy watching hockey and enjoy listening to Bob describe what they're seeing. There is a magic to the voice. And in the early days in this business, more radio than television perhaps, you had to have a voice to get a job. Thankfully, it's not that way anymore because it never seemed quite right.
Starting point is 00:13:19 I knew a lot of people who didn't have the so-called broadcast voice that I would have loved to hear on the radio or on television. But they weren't there because they didn't sound good enough in the audition and they probably knew it. And so maybe didn't ever show up for an audition. But there's still a certain value to a voice like Bob Cole's match to the game of hockey. And we'll never get tired of listening to that. And it sounds like he's willing to continue. So I wish they'd let him keep going.
Starting point is 00:13:55 The last game, Leafs-Habs, they will, at least ceremoniously, they should actually drag him out of the broadcast booth, just for the record, because I'm sure that's the way he always thought it would have to happen. Whatever they have planned, I don't know, but I would hope that Bob approves of whatever plan is there. Agreed. Buffalo Phil, and a few questions came in in this vein, so I'll try to kind of surmise them all here,
Starting point is 00:14:27 but Buffalo Phil wants to know what was your first reaction when you heard Don Cherry was going to host Coach's Corner? And then I have another gentleman who wants me to ask you about the challenge
Starting point is 00:14:36 of working with Don Cherry, and then Jason has questions about Don Cherry, so maybe could you nicely maybe put them all together and share some thoughts on how you felt when you were told Don Cherry was So maybe, could you nicely maybe put them all together and share some thoughts on how you felt when you were told Don Cherry was going to host Coach's Corner?
Starting point is 00:14:51 Well, this is kick out the cherry jams then, as opposed to the raspberry jam that I had this morning. What did I think when I heard that Don was, we had, well, we knew Don as a colourful coach. And if he was joining Hockey Night in Canada, that seemed, uh, like a good idea to me. Um, he was, uh, he was controversial.
Starting point is 00:15:13 He was some, somebody that people would like to hear from, I thought. Um, obviously I was right. Um, and the people who hired him were too. I didn't know how long he would last. Perhaps he didn't either, but I look forward to, uh, to something new and to making something of a program idea that hadn't existed before. That, that may be the thing that I've enjoyed the most over time is, is to, uh, give birth to something, whether it be, uh, the reporters on TSN or before that TSN inside sports,
Starting point is 00:15:47 um, lots of, uh, lots of things I've done that hadn't been done by anybody beforehand. And that was one of them. So I was, I was happy to see it start and evolve, uh, and it evolved in an interesting way. Uh, that's putting it mildly. Absolutely. It's a, never a dull moment, I would say. Now, Jason also wants me to ask you how you feel about broadcasters like yourself and Don Cherry and Ron McLean not being eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Starting point is 00:16:17 Do you have any thoughts on that? You know what? I don't know the ins and outs of this issue. I can guess that you probably know more than I do, but the media wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame, to be exact, you're not, the broadcasters who are there, Joe Bowen, the last one inducted, congratulations, Joe, well-deserved, can say they are Hockey Hall of Famers, but I think the Hockey Hall of Fame would say they are members of the media wing or recipients of the Foster Hewitt Award.
Starting point is 00:16:52 So there's a bit of red tape involved in terms of how you are actually recognized. And I give no thought to that issue about who's in or who's not where I'm concerned, or really, I don't like to get too wrapped up in any Hall of Fame debates. And I'll, and I'll give you a quick reason why. I have seen too often an athlete expecting, assuming, hoping that a Hall of Fame announcement will include his or her name, and then disappointed to the point of tears that he or she didn't make it. And it seems to me that if you're on the cusp of Hall of Fame induction this year, any year, if you're being mentioned in that category, you've had a terrific career and there needs to be no disappointment later in life to what you did and how it was perceived because 13 people in a room decided your name wasn't going to be moved on to the, to the
Starting point is 00:18:08 hall of fame. I still want to pat that person on the back and say, you had a great career where other people are going, we really feel sorry for you. And I just think, I just think too much is made perhaps of, of the hall of fame. You know, make the NHL, if we're talking about hockey players, win a Stanley cup, win a
Starting point is 00:18:28 heart trophy, play 20 years, um, have a wonderful career and a wonderful life. And okay. The hockey hall of fame comes calling. That's a, that's a, you know, a little icing on the, on the cake. I was going to say cherry on top, but we'll move past that topic. And if it doesn't happen, as I say, it doesn't diminish all that you've achieved.
Starting point is 00:18:53 And I have been quoted like this. This is going to wind up sounding like I don't want any part of this Hall of Fame or any Hall of Fame, and it's not it at all. It's a great honor, and I'm everybody that receives it uh thinks the same way but i have said in the past that meaning as much to me as that is an unsolicited pat on the back from a respected colleague and um i do feel that way i and i think so seldom do we do we say what we should say to other people in this business when we admire their work. Tell them, for God's sakes, because very often they don't get the recognition that they deserve in that way. I think you belong, Dave Hodge. I think you belong in the rock and roll hall of fame.
Starting point is 00:19:42 I'd stay up all night waiting for that call, you bet. That one matters. That's not coming. That's right. Jason has a B. It's not a question. It's a nice statement. He says that he wants Toronto Mike listeners to know that he met you a few years back and you couldn't have been, you, Dave, could not have been more nice
Starting point is 00:19:59 when Jason asked for a photo. So that's a nice sentiment, but I want to tell people, I'm meeting you for the third time. This is the third time you've been here. I will confirm for the listening audience, you're a nice guy. Where did I meet Jason? Did he say?
Starting point is 00:20:12 No, he never gave me that detail. He asked you for a photo and you were happy to oblige. Well, most often that's happening at a rock show, music show, concert, bar, whatever. I'm there a lot. And yeah, people do want some record of the fact
Starting point is 00:20:31 that they saw me there. That's the new autograph is the selfie. Well, we're going to take one after the show, actually. So that is now the new autograph, I think. It's a planted autograph. I can adapt. And again, there are some actual music questions coming. We just have to plow through a few more sports media questions here.
Starting point is 00:20:47 We've almost done those. But you love baseball. Any regrets that you never got to do Jays games? Have I told you this story? Early in my Hockey Night in Canada life, well, the Blue Jays arrived early in my Hockey Night in Canada life, Um, well, the Blue Jays, uh, arrived early in my hockey night in Canada life and I expressed an interest. Now, why would anybody leave hockey night in Canada? But I did, um, tell a few people that I would, I would want to investigate the possibility of,
Starting point is 00:21:19 of broadcasting Blue Jays games. And, um, the rights holder at the time, the radio station, which is now the fan and used to be called CKFH, for the FH being for Foster Hewitt, those people came to me and said, we appreciate your interest, but we feel the need to hire a play-by-play announcer for Toronto's Major League Baseball team who hails from the United States. And I mildly showed my offense to that position that they took. What they were saying was there was no baseball tradition or knowledge in Canada sufficient to allow a Canadian to sit in that chair and sit behind that microphone. But an American would gain immediate acceptance. And sure, that was the case. I mean, Tom Cheek was legendary, is legendary. I wouldn't have been as good as Tom. And good for them to make sure
Starting point is 00:22:28 that they hired the right person because had they hired the wrong person, I would still hold a grudge. But it mildly offended me. And I think it probably, anybody I've told the story feels the same way if they happen to be Canadian.
Starting point is 00:22:43 Well, I would say be more than mildly offended because not only are they basically disqualifying you based on the fact you're Canadian, it's happening in Canada to call in the Canadian-based franchise. Well, but you know, I had lived at the time, I was very familiar with several hockey announcers from Canada who had found their way to the United States to get
Starting point is 00:23:07 good, good jobs, uh, broadcasting for NHL teams or for NHL or for networks that broadcast NHL games simply because they were much more qualified than the local American might've been. And, um, I was, I was an example of that too. And the Buffalo Sabres first, uh, came on the scene in 1970. They did 15 or had 15 televised games scheduled. Ted Darling, uh, a Canadian was hired by the Sabres to be their radio voice.
Starting point is 00:23:42 Um, but they wanted Ted to be on radio exclusively and they needed somebody else to do these 15 scattered games on television and could find nobody in Buffalo or anywhere near Buffalo, except to come North of the border and look for a Canadian. And, um, they found me. Uh, so I saw it both ways yet when I was on the
Starting point is 00:24:04 other end of the, the news that I wasn't good enough for the Blue Jays because I happened to be born in Canada, I was miffed. I don't blame you. Dale Cadeau. Dale Cadeau was actually here because yesterday Matt Cause, who's on TSN radio, was here as a guest. And Dale Cadeau, who was in town anyway, he didn't come for this purpose, but he's from Vancouver. He came to town and he presented Matt with a bottle of wine.
Starting point is 00:24:31 I mean, to me, if he knew Dave Hodge was coming in the next day, he would have saved that wine bottle for you, I'm sure. But Dale Cadeau's question is, are your days in Vancouver fond memories or days to forget? And any good stories about working with Neil McRae and Frosty?
Starting point is 00:24:50 Okay, for the Vancouver audience then, because a lot of other people aren't really going to know those names or that I was even in Vancouver for six years. Fond memories in a lifestyle sense, because my two children were six and eight when we moved there in 1986. And they took advantage of everything that the Vancouver lifestyle has to offer.
Starting point is 00:25:22 They learned to swim there competitively. They learned to ski. They played soccer because you could play soccer in Vancouver in the winter and play baseball in the summer. My kids didn't happen to play hockey, so that worked out fine. I loved the weather except when it was raining. I loved the fact that I was experiencing
Starting point is 00:25:46 another great city in this, in this country, very different from where I'd been professionally. It, it had its challenges in terms of, of the, uh, you know, the realization that you're talking to one part of the country, but not the rest of the country, having had, uh, the experience of, of being on a national network was a bit, a bit frustrating. And, you know, you had the feeling because of the time change, maybe that all of the news wasn't getting across those mountains. And it just got a little frustrating. And I did feel a need. I said to myself and to my family, I said,
Starting point is 00:26:35 if I want to keep working, and there wasn't really any doubt about that, I think I need to be back east, as it were. And I guess a lot of people in Vancouver would have been offended by that. But it was the difference between being provincial and being national. And I really thought after deviating for a while that I needed to be on a national network. And TSN gave me that opportunity. Now, this is episode 411. So, of course, there's going to be a lot of information in this episode, of course. It's 411.
Starting point is 00:27:04 But episode 4, oh, I want to get it right, 403, I think, was Damien Cox. And he told a really, he didn't tell us any juicy details or anything, but he said that he had just had a dinner with you, Stephen Brunt, and John Shannon. Is that true? that sounds like a great collective gathering for a meal uh the wine was important we can go back to that that subject and um no it's it's the sort of thing that we don't do enough for people who are all moving in different directions most of the time deciding to gather in one place and simply talk about our jobs, if we have one, sports, our careers, rumors, gossip, the future, music.
Starting point is 00:28:00 I was going to say, because I've done about 50-something episodes where we kicked out the jams, and the two episodes that seem to come up the most often are the Dave Hodge episode and the Stephen Brunt episode. So I would think there'd have to be some music chatter in that dinner. Yeah, and Damien would call himself a music guy
Starting point is 00:28:21 if he knows the artist. I don't know that he knows... Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen. As many as, I know he's a huge Bruce fan. John would be on the periphery of music, but I will tell you that, no spoiler alert here, there could be though, when the artist who sings my number one song of 2018 was mentioned, John put up his hand
Starting point is 00:28:49 and said, that I know. So I felt validated that I was picking something that wasn't obscure and good for John for knowing this because you got to know this. Right. Now, John Shannon, who by the way, he's never said no, but he hasn't said yes either. I've invited him a few times on this show and he seems to be eluding me because, correct me, I believe I'm right on this, but you'll tell me, when you did flip the pen, John was in the room, right?
Starting point is 00:29:19 John was working there that night. I don't remember who was in the room, honestly. I need to know names of everybody in that room. If he was on the broadcast, he was around somewhere, but who was actually physically there? He was somewhere close to the room. Oh, sure. And they all have their versions of what happened that night too.
Starting point is 00:29:38 Next time you're at dinner with Shannon, tell him he's got to do Toronto Mike. That's your takeaway. That's my assignment. He doesn't do much of what I tell him. We'll see. Jake S. wants me to ask you if you've read the new Jeff Tweedy memoir.
Starting point is 00:29:54 No, because I'm, let's put it this way, I think I might be getting it for Christmas. Oh, gotcha. Say no more. That sounds like a perfect gift for you. Greg says, you were one... Oh, he says, I'll read what he wrote.
Starting point is 00:30:08 Dave was one of the organizers of the Turf Music Festival. That's Toronto Urban Roots Festival, which was held from 2013 to 2016 at Fort York. The acts were top-notch. By the way, aside, this is me now. For sure, because you had Sky Diggers on the bill. I'm fascinated love that bet all right uh what where do i pick this up uh acts were top-notch the festival was
Starting point is 00:30:30 very well run and it was great seeing dave and his business partner jeff cohen introduced their favorite artists each year uh their passion for the music was obvious to dave this is where you come in, will we ever see turf resurrected? Well, mostly Jeff's passion and some of mine did not extend to Red Ink. And there are larger organizations that do bigger festivals. I don't think they're as good because some of them are, in fact, too big. There was an intimate feel to that setting and the list of artists was one that almost from top to bottom I approved of.
Starting point is 00:31:18 Some of them I perhaps suggested or selected. So there couldn't have been a better festival for me anyway than Turf was, but it had a life that couldn't extend beyond its last performance, and that's too bad. But we're seeing that all over the music business where a lot of things are changing and money is often the reason.
Starting point is 00:31:42 Yeah, money ruins everything. That's what i say now the uh i always wonder like when it comes to putting the lineups together i'm assuming you have to kind of put on some big names to sell the tickets right so you can't obviously you can't i mean it didn't work out anyway but i mean you have to throw in i'm trying to remember but there were some big names that you know the big font whenever they make the posters if you notice they have the big font at the top and it gets smaller as you go down. And a lot of times you'll be like the smaller font bands are the ones you actually want to go
Starting point is 00:32:08 see. Well, the beauty is that you can do both. As long as you can make it from one stage to the, to the next in time. And that we really paid a lot of attention to the scheduling of that festival. So you could literally hear the last note and then over here and then go 500 yards down the way and around the corner whatever and hear the first note
Starting point is 00:32:32 of the next performance at a different stage some of them uh some of the bigger festivals you're not that necessarily the music leaks although it can but you're feeling as though you're missing something there because you're here. And turf, we really tried to make, do as best we could that allowed people to get everything, get to everything that they wanted to hear. Well, maybe, hopefully some, I don't know, money falls from some big corporate sponsor and
Starting point is 00:33:02 we can get this back to life. I don't know what that entails, but. Well, there was a one day mini turf, shall we say, uh, last, this year, um, where the national was, uh, was a headliner. And so that can, that can be done, but the multi-day festival, at least with turf's name on it, uh, had to. And whether it can be resurrected,
Starting point is 00:33:27 I'm not the one to answer. Actually, I realize now I've kind of gone into the music questions, thinking that would segue nicely into the music. But I actually have a question that was submitted in audio form, which actually takes us back to sports media briefly. So let's, before I forget, let me play this question and then we'll get back to the tunes. Hello, Toronto Mike. It's Milan from Fast Time Watch and Jewelry Repair. Hello, Mr. Hodge. It's truly an honor to speak to a Canadian broadcasting legend. My question for Mr. Hodge, as a former broadcaster for TSN and a longtime radio sports director early in your career, what would you do if you were in charge to bring TSN Sports Radio to relevance in the Toronto market as their ratings continue to struggle? P.S. I love the reporters on Sunday morning and hope that you can host a similar type program back again one day soon.
Starting point is 00:34:23 Thank you, Mr. Hodge, and thanks again, Toronto Mike. What would I do? Well, the reporters would be on from 7 a.m. to noon, again from 4 till 7 p.m., and we'd repeat the best of that day of the reporters
Starting point is 00:34:41 later in the evening. I have to be facetious. I hope you understand. I'm not any smarter than anybody there trying to lift the ratings. They have competition, obviously. They do some things that I approve of and some other things that I would change,
Starting point is 00:35:00 but we're not here to program that or any other radio station. I was going to say you'd turn it back to music and play some songs. Well, you know what? If we ever get to that Dave Hodge podcast that you have suggested, that can be a framework for a radio show. And if they'd like to pick it up, that'd be fine. Sounds good. Patrick Corrigan, he actually writes political cartoons for the Toronto Star, and he actually has drawn some labels for Great Lakes Brewery.
Starting point is 00:35:31 But Patrick Corrigan wants me to ask you what your favorite Hamilton band is. Do you have a favorite Hamilton band? Well, if we're still calling Arkell's a favorite Hamilton band, I think they're now, they come from the world, it seems to me, and yet their Hamilton roots are very important. Proof of that, every year, two days before Christmas, two nights before Christmas, there is a charity event in Hamilton. Just about everybody who plays music in Hamilton all year long shows up.
Starting point is 00:36:05 I'm privileged to be a guest, and I look forward every year to seeing Max Kerman, Tom Wilson, Tara Lightfoot, members of The Trues, members of Dwayne Gretzky, all sorts of Hamiltonians who make music show up there. But, well, let's say I'm closest to Max from Arkells and they know that they're my favorite band from Hamilton and damn near anywhere.
Starting point is 00:36:35 Here's a fun fact is that Patrick's nephew drums for Monster Truck. Well, I should have mentioned them. I think he was, yeah. Well, Arkells, Monster Truck, both great bands. And you mentioned Tom Wilson. And as you said, Tom, truck well i should have mentioned them that's i think he was yeah of course arkell's monster truck both great bands uh and you mentioned tom wilson and as you said tom well this is our tom wilson's uh artwork he's got his new art uh uh and i'm staring at it right now so uh that sounds like an amazing amazing night um jason beattie wants to know if uh let me read what he wrote
Starting point is 00:37:00 i'd love to know if dave hodge has a guilty pleasure song that we wouldn't expect him to like, like Milli Vanilli or Carly Rae Jepsen's Call Me Maybe, etc. Do you have one of those songs you love that wouldn't fit with your brand? Well, there's probably a few in the 100 that we're going to mention or listen to. I think the thing that surprises most people is that I can like folk music one minute, um, blues the next, rock, country, alt country, American, every, everything has to have a label. Uh, I touch just about every one of them.
Starting point is 00:37:37 I'm, I'm very peripherally into jazz. Uh, I am sorry that rap and hip hop don't. What about reggae? Any reggae in and hip hop don't make the list. What about reggae? Any reggae in the mix? Don't make the list. Again, there's a snippet here and there over time, but you will be, Mike, and some of the listeners will go, he likes that or he put that on the list.
Starting point is 00:38:02 And not because it's bad. I hope you don't think anything that we're talking about is, is shouldn't be on the list on a list, but maybe you're surprised that it's on my list. And again, uh, I'm teasing this too often about the number one song and the artist who sings it, but that might surprise some people too. And yet I will make a stronger case as I've ever made for this artist and this song to be at the top of my list. John Evelyn writes, thank Dave for his first 100. That's the first time he kicked out the jams.
Starting point is 00:38:38 Particularly Frank Turner, who I saw at the Phoenix this past fall, looking forward to the next 100. So even, I would say this, even if one person discovers, and that's actually the act I took away from your first Kicking Up Gems was Frank Turner, and I started diving in, and I'm like, how did I miss Frank Turner?
Starting point is 00:38:54 But even if one person goes and sees Frank Turner who wouldn't have seen it if you hadn't, you know, talked him up and played his music, I'd say you've, that was a job well done. Well, that's the reason why I do want to limit myself to one song per artist on this list, on any list that I make, because it is an opportunity to spread the word. And this music should be shared. I don't want to be the only one who sits and enjoys it and likes it and knows about it. There are times when, when you, you feel a real closeness to a certain artist or a certain album
Starting point is 00:39:33 or piece of music. And then when it gets so big that, um, everybody says they've always enjoyed it, you want to put up your hand and say, ah, you weren't there at the beginning. Right. Uh, but, uh, we can't, uh, you want to put up your hand and say, you weren't there at the beginning. Right. But we can't, you know, the bird has to fly. That's right.
Starting point is 00:39:50 That's right. Let's hear a question from Brian Gerstein. He's a real estate sales representative of PSR Brokerage. Hi, Dave. Brian Gerstein here, sales representative with PSR Brokerage and proud sponsor of Toronto Mic'd. Now is the time to have me evaluate your home or condo if you're looking to get it on the market in the new year and the upcoming spring market. Call or text me at 416-873-0292 to get started. Dave, last time you kicked out your jams,
Starting point is 00:40:25 I was impressed with how you are always looking and trying out new music and not stuck in a time warp like I tend to be as Mike can attest to for my own session. Having said that, what is the band you have seen the most live and how many times? I don't keep track of how many times but it might have been the tragically hip it might have been Blue Rodeo might be Blue Rodeo I'm safest probably to say Wilco. And you can't match Brad Fay's record for seeing, he says he's seen Bruce Springsteen
Starting point is 00:41:11 a hundred times. Oh, I can top that with Jeff Cohen's 263, I think was the last number I heard from the owner of the Horseshoe Tavern. Wow. And there is a list somewhere, at least in, I believe that keeps track of the Horseshoe Tavern. Wow. And there is a list somewhere, at least in, I believe it keeps track of Bruce's fans in North America.
Starting point is 00:41:30 Perhaps it's worldwide, I don't know. But Jeff's on the list. He's not number one, but he's trying to get there. And I mean, I feel like you've seen everybody, but he's so mainstream, I'm not sure. Have you seen Bruce Springsteen live? Oh, of course, yes. Several times, right?
Starting point is 00:41:45 Several times. What am I doing asking such silly questions? Not as many times as those bands that I just mentioned. And I'm probably, I'm leaving out some others. Arkells is getting to the point where they're pretty close to the top
Starting point is 00:42:01 in a short space of time, which would advertise my love of that band. Time has come today. Time has come today. Time. On this day in 1972, Dave, man walked on the moon for the very last time this day 1972 some bad music of rem's man on the moon will accompany us as i for the last time well the
Starting point is 00:42:39 most recent i will say i shouldn't say for last time, but the most recent time that man was on the moon was 1972. This day, that was the Apollo 17 mission, which also, it broke several records. So the space fans, it broke the record for the longest moon landing, the longest total number of moonwalks, the largest lunar sample, the longest time in lunar orbit. So we didn't go back.
Starting point is 00:43:08 I don't know if we were done with the moon. We were moving on to other things. But 1972. There is a band, Walk the Moon. Yes. Oh, I'm thinking of Walk the Earth. There's a Walk the Moon. Okay.
Starting point is 00:43:22 I believe. Probably. They're not on my list. They didn't make it this year. Maybe they didn't release any new music in 2018. That's an important stipulation. Remember the Time is brought to you by Fast Time Watch and Jewelry Repair. They've been doing quality watch and jewelry repairs for over 30 years.
Starting point is 00:43:39 You might remember, Dave, that Sears, when you went to Sears, they'd have a watch repair place in there. You'd get your battery replaced and everything. That was actually FastTime. Sears disappeared. FastTime started opening up their own locations and using their own name. And they have a new location in Richmond Hill. So go to FastTimeWatchRepair.com to find out a location near you. And here's this cool. If you use, if you just mention that you heard about them on Toronto Mic'd, you get 15% off any regular priced
Starting point is 00:44:09 watch battery installation. And I should point out, the gentleman who asked the question about TSN Radio, that was Milan. He's actually, his family owns Fast Time. So it all, it all connects. Okay, you, this is the way this business works. You know, you, if you're a sponsor, you get to go on the air
Starting point is 00:44:26 if you feel you have something to say. And that's great unless you're the announcer who doesn't want to give up any of his time to a sponsor. Well, Brian and Milan, they are diehard sports and sports media fans. I don't think Milan asks questions of any personalities on this show that aren't a sports media personalities, but when they heard Dave Hodge was coming on,
Starting point is 00:44:51 they had questions, but I want other sponsors do different things. For example, Palma pasta, Palma pasta is fantastic. Uh, Italian food in Mississauga and Oakville, palmapasta.com.
Starting point is 00:45:02 They want to give you Dave, a large, uh large meat lasagna. This is frozen. Take it home with you. Enjoy. I'll enjoy it as soon as it defrosts because I don't know what I'm doing for dinner tonight or tomorrow. Maybe I do tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:45:18 Well, I was going to say, I think the rule of thumb is you put it in the fridge for 24 hours and then you get it in the oven. So you might have to have that tomorrow, but it'll fill you up, man. That's fantastic. Well, everybody knows around this time of year, you're aiming for big meals, family
Starting point is 00:45:33 occasions closer to the 25th, which is fine. We all love to make those special meals, but in the days leading up, we're not real sure what we're eating. That's right. This will help.
Starting point is 00:45:47 This will, you can actually, probably enough to feed you a couple of meals there. And there's, I mentioned earlier Great Lakes Brewery, that six pack is going home with you as well. Fresh craft beer from Great Lakes Beer. Terrific. I've enjoyed that in the past and it's nice to
Starting point is 00:46:00 see that they remain faithful to the show. No, thank you for saying that. And I'm glad that promise of free craft beer brings you back here three times. Because I'm going to, you know, at some point I'm going to invent some reason for you to come back a fourth time. So I use that as like a lure, you know.
Starting point is 00:46:18 It's, I, you know, I expect it to be here, Mike. That's right. I'll make sure it's there. So keep sponsoring us, Great Lakes. That's right. I'll make sure it's there. So keep sponsoring us, Great Lakes. A couple more sponsors I want to thank before we get into these jams. And again, unlike other episodes of Kick of the Jams where I start the song after the first chorus,
Starting point is 00:46:37 I do verse, chorus, and then I fade it down and we talk about it. For Dave Hodge's jams, we're not going to talk over these songs. Dave's going to introduce the song, talk about it, and we're going to hear it in its entirety. So I realize we're 45 minutes deep here, and we haven't got to the jams.
Starting point is 00:46:53 So I will quickly thank Census Design and Build. They provide architectural design, interior design, and turnkey construction services across the GTA. Go to censusdesignbuild.ca today to schedule your zoning and cost project feasibility study. And of course, Paytm. Thank you, Paytm. I just found out today that they're going to renew for another three months, which is fantastic. You can still get $10 in Paytm cash if you go to paytm.ca and download their app to pay all of your bills in one spot, I do this. If you have any questions, let me know. I swear by it. I've been using it for over a year.
Starting point is 00:47:31 The first bill payment, you can press the promo code button and put in Toronto Mike, all one word, and they'll give you $10 in Paytm Cash. And you can use that towards a bill payment or a rewards purchase. And with that, I turn the mic over to you, Mr. Dave Hodge, as we hear what are your 100 favorite songs of 2018? Before I start, this may annoy you, but how far are we into this now? 48 minutes. Okay. As a public service, for the listeners who are mainly, perhaps only interested in the music portion of this, I will allow you, if not invite you, to fast forward 48 minutes and hear what we're about to do with music, as long as you promise, following that to go back to the very beginning and hear all of the talk that we've had about sports and media.
Starting point is 00:48:32 Is that a deal? And Mike, you can say I just offended you, but it's a service to the listener who might have 20 minutes ago said, are we ever going to hear some music? So you have your choice. You can do it either way. You're going to tweet that, hey, here's the link. Just fast forward to 48 minute mark.
Starting point is 00:48:56 That's what you're going to do, which is fine. Hey, you're Dave Hodge. You can do whatever you want. Much as you should listen to an album from start to finish, I hope you do that with this podcast too. But I don't want to lose anybody because we've taken too long getting to the music. But here we are. It's all music for the rest of the way.
Starting point is 00:49:13 All right. Again, the rules. One song per artist. And we're going to mention, what, 89 of them and play 11 of them. So here goes, starting with number 100. And don't be offended if you think this should be higher because all of these should probably be higher. And I don't spend a whole lot of time going, oh, 56, maybe it should be 48 and moving
Starting point is 00:49:38 48 now around to 52 and no. So the order is really not significant in any way other than to make the top 100 list. Number 100, band from St. Louis, Missouri called the Bottle Rockets, and the song is Bit Logic. 99, Jeffrey Foucault, Cheap Suit. 98 is Eric Lindell, Revolution. 97, Ockerville River with the amazing Will Sheff. Will Sheff? The Dream and the Light is the name of the song. 96, Madeline Peru.
Starting point is 00:50:15 Chanteuse from, eventually from Paris, who was born in Athens, Georgia. I don't know how that move is made. This is jazzy and it's great. Colin James, we all know him. He's number 95 for a song called 40 Light Years. 94 is U.S. Girls. Maybe a strange name for a Toronto-based band,
Starting point is 00:50:37 but highly acclaimed. The song Rage of Plastics. 93, Dead Horses, a band from Milwaukee, and the song is Turntable. 92, this gets awfully punky, Spider Bags from North Carolina, My Heart is a Flame in Reverse. Gotta love that title. And 91 is Sarah Borges' House on a Hill. Now we move to actual music. Hill. Now we move to actual music and number 10. Would you like me to simply say it or would you like to have some explanation as to why I picked it or a question for me about it? Because you know what it is, Mike. Yes, I would love for you to tell us why you chose the song and share what you think of the song or what it means to you. And then, uh, tell us the, you know, uh, obviously that will tell us the artist's name,
Starting point is 00:51:26 uh, and then the title of the song. And then when, uh, you give me that wink, I'm going to just let the people hear it. So there is no Wilco record this year, no Wilco song that I could have picked,
Starting point is 00:51:36 but it's, uh, no problem at all to say that number 10 is the lead singer of the band that I just said, I perhaps have seen more than any other band over time, and that is Jeff Tweedy singing one of his latest songs, Let's Go Rain. Let's Go Rain.
Starting point is 00:52:02 Oh, I've heard of that Noah's flood Washed away a world of sin Some say destruction is an act of love I think it should happen again Oh, let's go rain Let's go rain again Oh, let's go rain, let's go rain again. Oh, let's go rain, let's go rain again. Now once upon a time I was a Christian.
Starting point is 00:52:38 I didn't know, I didn't need to know. When the sky speaks, I didn't need to know When the sky speaks I'm gonna listen And when it's pissing I'll just figure I'm alone Oh, let's go rain Let's go rain again Oh, come on rain Let's go rain again
Starting point is 00:53:04 Oh, I should Let's go rain. Let's go rain again. Oh, I should build a wooden ark. Wouldn't you rather live on an ocean of guitars? I'll come on rain, let's go rain again. Let's go rain, let's go rain again. Thank you. that you haven't caught yet cause you haven't met Scott McCoy Let's go rain, let's go rain again Let's go rain
Starting point is 00:54:35 still no rain again It feels like a drinking song to me. It was all I could do not to pop open one of these Great Lakes cans while we listened to that. Feel free, Dave. They're your cans now. I got to drive home. That's right. So, um, and, and you know what, in listening to, to Jeff and thinking about Wilco and bands that I've seen often, most often, I probably
Starting point is 00:55:12 should have said Joel Plaskett Emergency. I may have seen as much as any of the bands that I mentioned. So I don't want to leave anybody out. Joel didn't have a, uh, the emergency didn't have a record this year, so there, he's not on the list, but he's in Toronto in a week or so. And, um, so that'll be one more time that I've
Starting point is 00:55:33 seen, um, my friend Joel Plaskett. Anyway, should we pick it up with number 90? Yes, indeed. That would be the, uh, well-known father, John Misty singing about himself, I guess, Mr. Tillman. 89 is Kelly Willis, Back Being Blue. 88, T. Hardy Morris, When the Record Skips. 87 is a band called The Record Company.
Starting point is 00:56:00 It's not a label, it's what they're called, The Record Company. They're from LA. Life to Fix. 86 from the UK, Our Girl. The song is I Wish It Was Sunday. And I was on the reporters again. 85, Post Animal. They're from Chicago, and they are singing Gelatin Mode.
Starting point is 00:56:20 84 from Portland, Oregon, Kyle Craft, Heartbreak Junkie. 83, Jonathan Wilson, Over the Midnight. 82, Lucy Dacus, Night Shift. And 81 from Los Angeles as well, Family of the Year. The song is Let Her Go. And we jump now to the top 10, and the next one on the list is number nine. He toured this past year, I'll get my dates straight now, I'm sure it was 2018 with Courtney Barnett, whose name will be mentioned as we move along. But Kurt Weill, he's coming to Toronto too, not too distant future.
Starting point is 00:57:08 Everything he does is great. And Kurt Vile's latest record, this may be the title track. You know, I should know this, but nevermind. It's my favorite song from the record and it's called by Kurt Vile, Loading Zones. Back is aching but I cannot sleep Cause I won't be beat like I am a mayor of some godforsaken town Sure they knighted me yesterday
Starting point is 00:58:06 But who needs armor when I have an exoskeleton I slip and squirm through the cracks Creep around by all the loading zones In my dirty little town Get my shopping done Long for two Drop some dead weight Clean my hands of what I need to clean my hands of
Starting point is 00:58:25 And offer free by mayoral decree All from zone to loading zone of my town Yeah Three grumpy girls and a dying daddy But oh so gorgeous the way they crave How beautiful to take a bite out of the world. I want to rip the world a new one. It just crawls out of my mouth anymore. You can hate on it.
Starting point is 00:59:13 Or you can hug it. You can get all mushy and lovey-dovey. It's all the same when I'm out there. Driving around. Or from zone to loading zone of my beautiful town. I'm free. One stop shop life for the quick fix before you get a ticket. That's the way I live my life.
Starting point is 00:59:36 I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free.
Starting point is 01:00:02 I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free.
Starting point is 01:00:04 I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free.
Starting point is 01:00:04 I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm free. I'm not sure. Thank you. I was wrong. The name of the album is Bottle It In. The name of the song was Loading Zones. Kurt Weill and the Violators will have as an opening act in Toronto. I'm sorry I don't have the dates right in front of me, but you got to do some of this work yourselves, people. Go for it.
Starting point is 01:01:08 Opening, as they often do, will be the Sadies. And if you don't like guitars, please stay away. That'll be a great night. Actually, two nights at the Danforth Music Hall. And it was a great night to hear the Kurt Weill, Courtney Barnett show, display all of the great songs on the record that they made together. So, you a Kurt Vile fan? Your list is making me realize I have a lot of catching up to do. All right, well, please catch up and add some of
Starting point is 01:01:39 these too as we go back to number 80, pick it up where we left off for mentions. Watson Twins, Hustle and Shake. Graham Parker, everybody knows him. Girl in Need, Mary Gauthier, a record in tribute to the military, if I could put it that way, and the song is called Bullet Holes in the Sky. Erica Wennerstrom, when she's not Erica Wennerstrom, she is the lead singer for Heartless Bastards. The song is Extraordinary Love. I like this song, but I like it almost most for the title, which is Two Cold Nights in Buffalo by an artist, Seattle-based artist called Courtney Marie Andrews. We've all had cold nights in Buffalo and I will have another one again shortly.
Starting point is 01:02:28 Uh, we'll get to that when I mentioned who I'm going there to see. Israel Nash is number 75, rolling on, shaky graves from Austin, Texas, 74, mansion door, trampled by turtles. Uh, again, a great band name. Uh, we great band name. We all get lonely.
Starting point is 01:02:53 72 is Albert Hammond Jr. of Strokes fame, Far Away Truths, and 71 from New Orleans, Louisiana, Revivalists, and the song is called All My Friends. And among my friends are three people who show up in the number eight position on my list. The band is called The Once. That's O-N-C-E. They are from Newfoundland. I had heard the name. People had said, do you know The Once? And I said, no. And they said, you should know The Once. And to my shame, I kind of dismissed that. Usually I would follow up, but for some reason I didn't until I was surprised at an Alan Doyle show to hear that the opening act was The Once. And I said, well, now I'm going to find out
Starting point is 01:03:45 what I should have found out earlier and what I have been missing. And to say that my jaw dropped in the middle of the first song and I continued to be mesmerized and amazed at how good this band was. There are three of them. and amazed at how good this band was.
Starting point is 01:04:04 There are three of them. The lead vocalist is Jerry Geraldine Hollett. And this, as I'm saying this, I should say that this was a terrific year, maybe the best year I can ever remember for music by females, either solo artists or females who front bands. And this is one example of that. Since I was introduced that way to the once,
Starting point is 01:04:29 I have seen them again in a fuller concert form in Hamilton, as a matter of fact. And all I can tell you about this band is that in the course of maybe five or ten minutes, you may find yourself laughing, crying, cheering, clapping, singing. It's an amazing experience. And I know I'm going on and on, but I can't stress enough how enjoyable an evening with the Once is and was for me,
Starting point is 01:05:07 and I hope to have several more. Hooray for this great band from Newfoundland, The Once, and the song, my favorite from their latest record, is called Any Other Way. Would you remember my face If you could no longer see? If I was alone and lost in the woods, would you come find me? Oh, would you come and find me? Oh, would you come and find me?
Starting point is 01:06:08 It takes a lot to leave. It takes much more to stay. But I see you when you see me. We are each other's night and day We wouldn't have it any other way Yeah, yeah, yeah Will you recall my voice? If you can no longer hear if I lay awake
Starting point is 01:06:48 in bed with dreams full of dread would you wipe away my fears oh would you wipe away my fears it takes a lot to leave Bye. We are each other's night and day.
Starting point is 01:07:30 We wouldn't have it any other way. If wishes were fishes and they all had been caught In a great big net Tied in unbreakable knot Would you stare down the sky And find me a star Make a brand new wish That we never would part That we never would part That we never
Starting point is 01:08:06 would part It takes a lot to leave It takes much more to stay But I see when you see me
Starting point is 01:08:23 We are each other's night and day It takes a lot to leave It takes much more to stay But I see you when you see me We are each other's night and day We wouldn't have it any other way Yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah That's the once.
Starting point is 01:09:12 If they were called it twice, we'd play it again. Wonderful music and three great people that I'm real happy I've met in the past year. Back to number 70 is where we pick this up. Super Chunk, What a Time to be Alive. We can say that with an exclamation point, I think. The Spook School is 69, called Less Than Perfect. We all are. 68, Sunflower Bean from Brooklyn, New York. If you like Fleetwood Mac, please listen to Sunflower Bean, and the song is called 22.
Starting point is 01:09:49 Joshua Hislop from Vancouver, speaking of one of my former places of residence. Number 67, Joshua Hislop, Stand Your Ground. 66, Richard Thompson, who is in Toronto on Saturday, and because I'm spending one of those cold nights in Buffalo on Saturday, I'll explain a bit later. Shortly, very shortly. Anyway, Richard Thompson is at 66 with a song called My Rock, My Rope.
Starting point is 01:10:16 65, Lord Huron from LA, Never Ever. They will be on tour in 2019 with Arkells. 64, Jason Eady, Calaveras County. 63, Brent Cobb, Providence Canyon. 62, Will Hogue, Gilded Walls. And 61, Sloan, All of the Voices. And now we get to number seven, and the reason I will be in Buffalo on a cold night on Saturday. The Willie Nile Band, again, maybe I've seen them more than anybody else, and we'll add one more to that on Saturday.
Starting point is 01:11:01 Willie is just turned 70, so we got a lot in common. We can go back in time and talk about music. We call each other rock and roll brothers. I'm honored to hear that from him. I consider him the same. And Willie Nile would be a favorite of mine regardless of this, but it's the only band that I know that invites me on stage to sing.
Starting point is 01:11:35 Not to introduce, which I've done several times for Willie, but come up and sing the encore, which is a song called One Guitar. And I may have mentioned that because One Guitar is on my all-time favorite list. So, yeah, I feel privileged to be part of that. Maybe I'll sing again on Saturday. It's always my choice, of course,
Starting point is 01:12:01 whether I decide to do that or not, but I'm usually getting the invitation. And the latest from Willie Nile is a song called Children of Paradise. I'm going to go ahead and get back to work. In a room on the other side of this town There's a girl who is hoping her luck will change Throws a button on a ragged old hand-me-down She's alone but her heart is open So wrong with love unspoken But that spell will soon be broken
Starting point is 01:13:20 Say a prayer for the children of paradise Born naked in a world of fire and ice Sing a song for the little ones As they blow their horns and they beat their drums Say a prayer for the children of paradise On the street near the river of no return Where the old break free and the young steal the urn Lives a boy with a fire in his belly that burns All his life he's been taking orders Back and down for the dimes and quarters
Starting point is 01:14:10 But tonight he's going across those borders Say a prayer for the children of paradise Born naked in a world of fire and ice Sing a song for the little ones As they blow their horns and they beat their drums Say a prayer for the children of paradise Say a prayer Thank you. And when the night is falling You can see the shadows crawling As the church bell strikes eleven
Starting point is 01:15:26 Two strangers reach for heaven Say a prayer for the children of paradise Born naked in a world of fire and ice Sing a song for the little ones as they blow their horns and they beat their drums Say a prayer for the children of paradise Say a prayer
Starting point is 01:15:57 Say a prayer for the children of paradise Born naked in a world of fire and ice sing a song for the little ones as they blow their horns and they keep their drums say a prayer for the children of paradise That's Willie Nile, and I should say that
Starting point is 01:16:41 when he does call me on stage to help with a song called One Guitar, the part that I do has also been done many more times than I've done it by a guy named Bruce Springsteen. Never heard of him. You're big when you can call Bruce Springsteen to help you sing a song. Willie and Bruce are tight, as it were. And I guess the only Willie Nile experience I've never had is saying, no, you go do it, Bruce. But you're his brother, right?
Starting point is 01:17:18 That's key. You're his music brother. No, no, no. Bruce is probably his rock and roll father or whatever. Or Willie is Bruce's. his, his, uh, rock and roll father or whatever, or Willie is Bruce's. Anyway, uh, great. Uh, we'll be seeing Willie on, uh, on Saturday and that'll be one more time, which moves him
Starting point is 01:17:35 closer to the top of that list as well. Picking it up way back at 60, Mariel Buckley from Nashville, uh, via Calgary, actually. The song is called Wait. Janiva Magnus, great blues singer. She is singing here, Back to Blue. Ashley Monroe is number 58 with Orphan. Tom Rush and Old Folky, I can call him that
Starting point is 01:17:58 because that's what I am, I think. Song is called Far Away. H.C. McIntyre, perhaps better known, actually the band isn't all that well known, but she also fronts a band called Mount Mariah. H.C. McIntyre, A Lamb, A Dove is the name of the song. Rustin Kelly, a little more about him later. Mockingbird is the name of the song.
Starting point is 01:18:21 Caleb Cottle, Lost Without You. The soulful Leon Bridges from Fort Worth, Texas, Beyond. Ray Lamontagne, Paper Man. And Daniel Romano, talk about prolific. He has released not one, not two, but three albums in the year 2018. And the song I have chosen from one of them is called Nervless. Daniel Romano, we are all proud of him
Starting point is 01:18:53 from those of us from Southwestern Ontario. Whether he knows it or not, we're proud of him. Back to the top 10. And this guy sings songs that should only be sung by him because there are songs that when you hear them, you say, that's Jim Cuddy. Try is one of them, obviously. Pull Me Through is another that represents what this song that we're about to hear does for me. represents what this song that we're about to hear does for me. Jim has a voice that lends itself to these songs,
Starting point is 01:19:35 and these songs that he is so able to write lend themselves to his voice. Seeing this live, it's affecting the passion that he puts into it. And I want to hear it again right now. The Jim Cuddy band, you be the lever. I saw your note, your missing coat I didn't understand completely And later on, crying on the phone You said you need to change the scenery Took my breath away You know I can't pretend
Starting point is 01:20:43 That it couldn't end, but it was never on my mind. So you be the leader, I'll be the left behind. I won your heart from the start You told me nothing lasts forever Then day by day I watched you fade Till we were hardly seen together I can't explain Oh well I guess I knew As the shadows grew
Starting point is 01:21:41 That there was always so much time so you would be the leaver I'll be the left behind Oh it's not much more than I felt before
Starting point is 01:22:04 find out on my own I've got much more than I felt before to find out on my own But it's strange to find when I look in your eyes no one I had knownå•Š I hear your name, know where you've been I don't know how I feel about it comfort comes when friends bring love you know I wrap my arms around that you made it so soul Oh can you
Starting point is 01:23:26 tell me true no matter what I do Did you always know the time when you believed I'd be
Starting point is 01:23:42 left behind Oh, you'd be the leader I'd be the voice and the song are made for each other, and Bravo Jim again, another great album, and that is my highlight from the latest Jim Cuddy Band release. Number, where am I now? 50, Grant Lee Phillips singing Walk in Circles. 49, Brian Fallon from Gaslight Anthem fame, Come Wander With Me. 48, King Tuff, Psycho Star. 47, The Great Nico Case, Bad Luck. 46, Boz Skaggs, yes, still around, Little Miss Night and Day.
Starting point is 01:24:53 45, Bahamas, Way With Words. Pause before I say this next one. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper singing Shallow. Yes, I am a Star is Born fan. Have you seen it? Yes, I have. And you? I was impressed with the performances
Starting point is 01:25:11 and I think Willie Nelson's son had a big role in writing the music for that movie, I believe. I'm glad you were impressed because I'm cheering for them. Grammys, Oscar, whatever. Shallow is obviously the highlight of the musical performances in the movie. And I love the movie from start to finish, with or without the music. 43, Steve Forbert.
Starting point is 01:25:41 That'll start again. Steve Forbert, That'd Be Alright. 42, Lizzy singing Best Days. And 41 from Nashville, Gretchen Peters with Wichita. Now to number five, and I keep correcting myself and saying maybe this is the band that I've seen the most. saying maybe this is the band that I've seen the most. And after 2018, that might be a correct statement.
Starting point is 01:26:12 The band is called The Hold Steady. A year ago, I traveled to Brooklyn, New York, where The Hold Steady is based, to see them with Frank Turner opening. You can know now why I wanted to go, and stayed all of 24 hours and was very happy to see this great show in a bowling alley, if you want to believe that, called the Brooklyn Bowl. Wow.
Starting point is 01:26:37 Since then, that was the end of 2017, in 2018, the Hold Steady played four shows at the Horseshoe Tavern. And prior to two of them, they conducted what they called a sound check open to the public if the public wanted to pay, I think, $75 to see a sound check. Didn't get you into the show even. There were lots of people there who wanted to see this soundcheck. Well, it wasn't really a soundcheck. It was a private show. And I was the emcee and talking to the members of the band and to the members of the audience, asking the audience what they wanted to hear, what they wanted to ask Craig Finn and others in the band. And two of the most enjoyable musical nights of my life
Starting point is 01:27:28 were the sound check, the private party, my part in it, and then the shows that followed by the Hold Steady. They didn't release an album this year. They released several singles. So I had my choice of those singles. And the one I've chosen is by The Hold Steady called T-Shirt Tux. There's a girl from your work and she's here with some guy He's got a t-shirt, socks and a piano key tie The rest of us were rolling our eyes at the handshake he did with the doorman
Starting point is 01:28:18 But that's how he gets the stuff that makes him feel so important And we all need something to get through the night Cause the kitchen gets hot and the fingers get fried A punchless pilot played to the crowd And they all thought they knew what he wanted And everyone's sorry when they see that it's dumb I assume that's the reason we do this And me and the guy with the piano key tie Are probably gonna play right through this
Starting point is 01:28:56 Tiny little triumphs Massive bloody failures I heard that there are sailors Who dread coming ashore shore yes it's true it's true I guess but tonight I fear my sensors aren't receiving at their best And everyone's acting like they hate that they're here Baring their teeth and sharpening spears The stuff that they put in the punch bowl tonight Makes it too hard to pay much attention
Starting point is 01:29:38 But your war of attrition turned out to be a major attraction A boy and a girl were training their fears They said Stalin was a weatherman to start his career And Johnny Cash was in the service When the news came through the wire And it's weird how you feel when bad people die She said, yeah, I guess, whatever All your fun little facts are never gonna keep us together
Starting point is 01:30:09 We'll all be in zooms once we leave this room We'll spend it through the turnstiles and we'll sleep in our shoes We'll sit in stones when we're all hooked up at home But when we leave the house we're sat in stones when we're all held up at home when we leave the house we're all sick got the disconnection blues there were multiple dispensers
Starting point is 01:30:35 and some friends we couldn't use guitar solo There's a candle on the table There's a photo on the fridge There's a bunch of things we said we're gonna do That never did Sometimes it's all slippery sidewalks I'm trying to find a place to park Turn it on a fire That never catches spark
Starting point is 01:31:27 They said everything's perception But that's not really right Let's all try to tell a little truth tonight Let's all try to tell the little truth tonight It strikes me that The Hold Steady and Jim Cuddy are side by side on this list. I didn't plan it that way, but it does lead me to a story that you may have heard before, but several years back, uh, I went to a Blue Jays game with Jim Cuddy and Craig Finn, the lead singer of the Hold Steady,
Starting point is 01:32:10 who had never met, knew nothing of each other. And Jim said, what kind of a band are you? And Craig said, we're a rock band. What kind of a band are you? And Jim said,
Starting point is 01:32:22 we're a chick band. He was speaking of, he was speaking of Blue Rodeo. And in introducing the Hold Steady on stage one time, I told that story and came off stage and was accosted by a certain person who said, we don't really appreciate the sexist remarks. And I had to shake my head and, oh, the reference was to Jim's, quote, chick band.
Starting point is 01:32:53 And I said, we are at a different time, really. Anyway, that story came back to me. That's a great story. Well, yeah. The Hold Steady, I'm probably identified with them more than any other one people around town say the hold steadier are coming to toronto i'm sure you'll be there um they expect me to be there i think so and i always am will be how many nights a week are you at a show well it all you know all depends. Don't ask me for statistics.
Starting point is 01:33:25 I can't, I can't give you that, but I've seen, I've seen the, had I known that you would ask which, which band have you seen the most or which artist, uh, I might've tried to come up. Oh, that was Brian though. With an accurate, okay. With an accurate answer, but it really, it does amount to about a seven or eight way tie
Starting point is 01:33:42 the way, uh, the way I'm, I'm going here. Uh, so we'll pick it up back at number 40. Black Lilies from Knoxville, Tennessee. Midnight Stranger. Alejandro Escobedo is number 39, singing Outlaw for You. Roseanne Cash, Dear to My Heart. The song is called She Remembers Everything. Jimmy Rankin of Family fame, Rankin family,
Starting point is 01:34:06 of course, loving you, never gets old. John Prine in Toronto just recently. I am sorry to say I didn't make the private show at Strombo's house. There's a reason for that. I wasn't invited, but I will be seeing John Prine in 2019 for sure. I've already planned on that. Knocking on Your Screen Door is
Starting point is 01:34:26 the name of the song. 35 is a group, not a, well, a group, yeah. The name of the artist on stage is Passenger. Offstage, it is Michael Rosenberg, and the name of this song is Heller High Water. 34 is a wonderful trio of country singers who sound great individually. I don't think, though, as great as they sound as members of the Pistolannies, and particularly this song, Best Years of My Life. I'm talking about Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, and Angelina Presley. Thirty-three is Dave Alvin and Jimmy Dale Gilmore, whom I saw in Toronto this year sing the song Downey to Lubbock.
Starting point is 01:35:06 32 is Nightshop. I could tell you a lot about this group, this guy, but that won't help you any more than me saying go and check out a group called Nightshop. And the song is called The Ship Has Sailed. And 31 is Phosphorescent, who has a name offstage as well. But his recording name is Phosphorescent, and the song is called New Birth in New England. And now back to the top 10, number four.
Starting point is 01:35:37 You know I mentioned what a great year it is for females and the wonderful female voices that I have enjoyed this year and for, I guess, 30 years in this case, and was honored to host a show presented by the Cowboy Junkies not that long ago in a place called Blythe, Ontario, which I didn't know, but I'd like to go back after being in Blythe. Margot Timmon's voice has mesmerized me ever since I first heard it those 30 years ago, 31 now maybe, who's counting. It just, it is always a pleasure to hear her and her brothers and the band called Cowboy Junkies, and a greater pleasure to hear them and see them at the same time. This is a song that takes a while to get to Margo's voice,
Starting point is 01:36:34 and that means you're hearing the great players around her. The song is called When We Arrive. අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි අපි Thank you. Welcome To the age of dissolution To the days of death and anger Old ideas becoming stronger. Welcome. Welcome to the days of wine and roses. To the time of lost pursuits, new ideas taking root. Welcome, welcome.
Starting point is 01:38:32 Everything unsure. Everything unstable. Above all else, Keep your actions faithful But above all else Keep your actions faithful But above all else But what if they cast us seaward To find new land
Starting point is 01:39:12 What if we lose each other Will we be holding hands When we arrive We'd be holding hands when we arrived What if they cast us seaward in search of land? We may lose each other But let's be whole again When we cry Welcome To the world of self-delusion
Starting point is 01:40:14 Where the pain stays sealed inside Bearing what might last I'd welcome Still inside, fearing what might lie outside. Welcome. To the days of death and anger. All ideas becoming stronger. To the age of lost pursuits. New ideas taking root. To this place unsure, unstable. You must keep your actions faithful.
Starting point is 01:40:45 To a search for common ground. Where our love will be found. Welcome. Welcome. And let's be holding hands. While we arrive. When we align. Unmistakable, the Cowboy Junkies.
Starting point is 01:41:11 Hooray. The album Trinity Session, all those 30 years ago, affected me on a first listen perhaps more than any record ever. And of course those songs are still sung and the new ones are every bit as good. So thanks again, Margo and company for doing what you do. We pick it up back at number 30, Metric. One of my fondest Massey Hall memories was Metric's first time on stage at that revered hall of music. And Metric this year recorded an album
Starting point is 01:41:47 and a song called Dark Saturday, number 30. 29 is Glorietta, which is an Americana supergroup of sorts, including people like Noah Gunderson and David Ramirez, who you may know on their own. The song by Glorietta is called Golden Lonesome. Laurie McKenna, 28, People Get Old. 27, from Sweden, the magnificent First Aid Kit, singing Fireworks. 26, Simon Felice, one of the founding members of the Felice Brothers, singing a song called The Fawn. singing a song called The Fawn.
Starting point is 01:42:25 25 from Vancouver, BC, Dan Mangan, Just Fear. 24, John Hyatt, Cry to Me. 23, Royal Wood. I had the pleasure of sharing a stage with Royal this year and his song called Nightingale. 22, again from Vancouver, Mother, Mother, Get Up. And number 21 is my longtime friend, I would say from Ottawa, except he's from Stittsville, Ontario, Jim Bryson singing Hold the World. And we are now at number three.
Starting point is 01:42:54 And I think I need only say, please turn this up because this is Frank Turner and this is as good as anything he has ever written. And that's saying something. This is a song called 1933. Passing musicians what they think He said softly as he poured himself a second drink And outside the world slipped over the brink We all thought we had nothing to lose That we could trust and cross fingers and horseshoes That everything would work out no matter what we choose The first time it was a tragedy The second time it's a farce Outside it's a farce.
Starting point is 01:43:54 Outside it's 1933 so I'm hitting the bar and I don't know what's going on anymore. The world outside is burning with a brand new life and it is a one that makes me feel warm. Don't call me second year house burning down for the dawn. Don't call me second year house running down for the dawn Don't call me second year house running down for the dawn If I was of the greatest generation I'd be pessimating The world that I've built, slipping back into this I'd be screaming at my grandkids We already did this Be suspicious of simple answers
Starting point is 01:44:23 That's it's for fascists or maybe teenagers You can't fix the world if all you have is a hammer The first time it was a tragedy The second time it's a farce Outside it's 1933 so I'm hitting the bar And I don't know What's going on anymore The wall outside Is sliding with a brand new life
Starting point is 01:44:49 But it is a one that makes me feel warm Don't call me second Your house running down from the door Don't call me second Your house running down from the door From the door Johnny BALLANTINE! Aren't you ashamed of this? I surely hope that you are
Starting point is 01:45:27 Living in a society that's maybe heading for Mars Well down here we still have a shower of bastards leading the charge Outside it's 1933 so I'm hitting the bar And I don't know What's going on anymore The wall outside is burning with a brand new life And it is a wonder makes me feel warm Don't call me second year house running down for the dawn Don't call me second year house running down for the dawn
Starting point is 01:46:02 Don't call me second year house running down for the dawn. Don't go mistaking your house running down for the dawn. Don't go mistaking your house running down for the dawn. I should say Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls. It's easy to look on stage and see only Frank because he is that kind of commanding presence, but what a great band. And Frank's solo is just fine too, but, uh, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls show, which we saw in, um, Toronto three times. Yeah. Three times recently. Uh, fantastic. So that's number three. Uh, you knew Frank Turner would be at or near the top.
Starting point is 01:46:45 Back to where we left off in number 20. I'm going to say this is probably the best new act that 2018 presented. They're from New Zealand and they're called The Beths. And the song is called Future Me Hates Me. 19 from LA. Can't tell you a whole lot about it, but check it out because it's a great record by a duo called Freedom Fry.
Starting point is 01:47:13 And the song is for you. 18, Raylan Baxter, the son of one of the great pedal steel players of all time, Bucky Baxter. Raylan Baxter singing Casanova. 17, the Jayhawks singing Everybody Knows. And if you check this out and listen to it, you will say that's a Dixie Chicks song. And it is because it was written by Gary Louris of the Jayhawks who have now recorded that song. 16 is from Toronto, Doug
Starting point is 01:47:38 Paisley singing Waiting. 15, a band from the Bay Area of of california uh culture abuse is the name of the band and if you like things that rock hard this probably rocks hardest of anything uh on this list the song is called call me not call me but calm e which if you say it fast sounds like call me but anyway and now we get to the Australia portion of the list. 14, Courtney Barnett singing Charity. 13, a group called DMA singing Dawning and a group that has really taken the world by storm in the last couple of years.
Starting point is 01:48:17 Again, from Australia with the interesting name of Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever. The song is called Talking Straight. And now we get to number 11, which according to the original rules, we would just mention and not play, but we're going to play number 11 because for starters, uh, this artist, I won't keep you in suspense.
Starting point is 01:48:41 Brandy Carlisle has received six Grammy nominations and normally anything that, uh, the Grammys like, I don't keep you in suspense. Brandi Carlile has received six Grammy nominations and normally anything that the Grammys like, I don't like. But this is an exception. And I think the main reason why she has attracted so much Grammy attention is this song, which is as a vocal exercise, just about the most amazing thing I've ever heard.
Starting point is 01:49:06 Her voice has always been regarded as one of the great female voices in alt country, Americano, pop, whatever you want to, however you want to label her. But then came this album and this song, which is nominated for song of the year.
Starting point is 01:49:23 I will watch the Grammys and hope that it wins. Actually, it's up against Shallow from A Star is Born. So my sentiments will be split. But just listen to this amazing singer and amazing song called The Joke. The Joke You're feeling nervous, aren't you, boy? With your quiet voice And impeccable style Don't ever let them steal your joy And your gentle ways
Starting point is 01:50:17 To keep them from running wild They can kick dirt in your face Dress you down and tell you that your place is in the middle When they hate the way you shine I see you tugging on your shirt Trying to hide inside of it And hide how much it hurts Let them live while they can
Starting point is 01:50:53 Let them spin Let them scatter in the wind I have been to the movies I've seen And the jokes I've heard You get discouraged, don't you, girl? It's your brother's world for a while longer
Starting point is 01:51:35 You gotta dance with the devil on a river to beat the stream Call it living the dream Call it kicking a ladder They come to kick dirt in your face To call you weak and then displace You have to carry in your baby on your back across the desert I saw your eyes behind your hair And you're looking tired
Starting point is 01:52:12 But you don't look scared Let them laugh while they can Let them spin Let them scatter Let's go. Chosen Let them live while they can Let them spin Let them spin Let them scare I've been to the movies I've seen her
Starting point is 01:53:15 And it's all too long Love Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, still have two more songs. And, you know, why didn't that make the top ten? I don't know. But it's amazing. So we do have two left. We're going to play them both, obviously, numbers two and one. You can probably guess what one of these is. And it is number two, and you're going to ask me what could be ahead of it
Starting point is 01:54:47 in number one, and when we get to number one, I'll tell you why. But automatic, Arkells have to be here, and they are here in the number two position. Which of the songs from Rally Cry, the album, would I pick? Well, there's an Andy Trump song on here. And let me tell all musical artists out there that if you write an anti-Trump song, you will make my top hundred list every year, as long as we have to worry about that particular person who holds office south of us. Uh, the song is called People's Champ and, uh, it's among the anthems on the album as arresting as anything else. And so I had a tough time deciding which song to pick. I picked People's Champ because of my dislike for the U.S. president, but also after I saw a video of 200 students in Calgary doing their version,
Starting point is 01:55:47 playing instruments, singing, dancing, their version of People's Champ. Where I saw it was, I guess it was in Arkell's tweet, but I think it came from something called the Music Class Challenge on CBC. So the CBC site, maybe if you Google Music Class Challenge, you'll see it, on CBC. So the CBC site, maybe if you Google music class challenge, you'll see it or from Arkells directly or any other place that shows Calgary
Starting point is 01:56:12 students singing People's Champ. We're not going to play that version. We're going to play the original version. Arkells, People's Champ. And now you have it crumbling But if you look back far enough And find the place you started Before you held a grudge Oh, the highest darkness You do nothing every year
Starting point is 01:56:54 But you're showing up on the red carpet I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ
Starting point is 01:57:10 I'm looking for the people's champ And it ain't you I said, give it to me straight I said, who's sticking around? You ain't no Robin Hood Never been in this neighborhood Thought you said this would be easy But I can smell it on you You're some aristocrat
Starting point is 01:57:36 I said it takes a village And you can't handle that Well, I already know how the history books do it I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ
Starting point is 01:57:54 I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ And it ain't you I'm a girl say I'm a dude's girl Now here's the official statement One street fighting on the pavement
Starting point is 01:58:28 I'm going dancing like I'm raving There's no service in the basement Now I don't mean to sound patient But I see the flag away And I can see through all this fake shit This man's office in bacon If you look back far enough And find the place you started
Starting point is 01:58:44 I promise you no Charlotte Has ever died a martyr You do nothing every year But you're showing off all the red carpet I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ
Starting point is 01:58:59 I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ.
Starting point is 01:59:16 I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. I'm looking for the people's champ. And it ain't you. Arkell's with People's Champ. And now your question is, what in the world did I find to put ahead of that? And Frank Turner and the Hold Steady and Jim and Willie and the Once and Jeff Tweedy and Brandi Carlile.
Starting point is 01:59:41 Well, I will explain. When this record came out earlier this year, I said that is my number one record, and I'm not sure it can be topped. Max Kerman of Arkells didn't say it couldn't be topped, but said it was his favorite record as well. And I said, well, I think I'm safe in saying that this record deserves all the praise that I'm giving it. Then I did a show with Ron Sexsmith, one of the great songwriters of this or any other country or this or any other time. He was asked to name a current new artist, shall we say, that impresses him. Because if you impress a songwriter like Ron, you must be writing some pretty good songs or singing them anyway. And he mentioned this artist.
Starting point is 02:00:28 And Max Kerman and Ron Sexsmith are about as far apart on the musical scale as two can be apart from their greatness. So I don't feel the least bit shy in telling you what my number one song is. But before that, and I know I'm leading you into great suspense, this is one of the albums, the very rare albums that one song is every bit as good as the next one and the next one and the last one is as good as anything that came before it. And I was actually intending, my first thought was to come here and just put the artist's name down
Starting point is 02:01:10 and say, Mike, pick any song from this album and it'll be fine. I can live with it as my favorite song of the year. And then I thought, you know, it's my list. I shouldn't need your help. But I really didn't know which song to pick. So I asked my wife. just point to a song. Actually, she knew them and she pointed to a song
Starting point is 02:01:30 that I'm quite happy to say is my song of the year. Uh, back to the theme of great female performances in 2018. She'll be in Toronto in January, I believe. And if you're surprised at all, this is my number one song because it's not rock and roll and it is quite clearly country. It's Nashville. It is, um, maybe surprised me a little bit, um, when I first heard it that I liked it so much, but this is one of the great albums of all time, really. If you want to talk about consistency, maybe surprised me a little bit when I first heard it, that I liked it so much. But this is one of the great albums of all time, really.
Starting point is 02:02:09 If you want to talk about consistency, great music from start to finish. I'm not going to tell you. Ladies and gentlemen, Casey Musgraves singing Butterflies. Never really going anywhere Caught up in a web I was getting kinda used to staying there And out of the blue I fell for you Now you're lifting me up, instead of holding me down
Starting point is 02:03:07 Stealing my heart, instead of stealing my crown Untangled all the strings around my wings, they were tied I didn't know him, and I didn't know me Cloud nine was always out of reach Now I remember what it feels like to fly You give me butterflies Kiss full of color makes me wonder where you've always been The color makes me wonder where you've always been. I was hiding in doubt till you brought me out of my chrysalis.
Starting point is 02:03:56 And I came out new. Oh, because of you. And now you're lifting me up Instead of holding me down Stealing my heart Instead of stealing my crown Untangled all the strings From our wings that were tied I didn't know him
Starting point is 02:04:20 And I didn't know me Cloud nine was always out of reach Now I remember what it feels like to fly You give me butterflies Yeah, you give me butterflies Now you're lifting me up instead of holding me down You're taking my hand instead of taking my crown i'm tangled all the strings around my wings and we're tied i didn't know him and i didn't know me cloud nine was always out of reach
Starting point is 02:05:19 now i remember what it feels like to fly You give me butterflies You give me butterflies To clear up a loose end, Casey Musgraves' husband is Rustin Kelly, whose name was mentioned earlier in the number 55 position on this list with a song called Mockingbird. And I have booked a trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic of all
Starting point is 02:06:16 places, in November 2019 to see Casey Musgraves with Rustin Kelly and John Pryne and Jason Isbell and a lot of, well, several other names on this list. Sort of a festival insider resort, if you will. And I'm very much looking forward to that as
Starting point is 02:06:40 well as seeing Casey Musgraves in Toronto in early January. So there you go. Another reason to watch the Grammys actually, which I don't usually do, but Casey Musgraves is nominated and mentioned prominently and frequently in the Grammy nominations. And I will say again that not many albums are made that are as good at any point you want to play them as they are throughout. So that's a hundred of them. There you go. Firstly, that trip sounds amazing.
Starting point is 02:07:16 Next November? You know what else is amazing? The cost. I can imagine. But I can't turn that down. That's why I won't be joining you. I can imagine. But I can't turn that down. That's why I won't be joining you.
Starting point is 02:07:23 But I want to say, Dave, I cannot imagine a better way to spend two hours than hearing you talk about music and listening to those, I guess we heard 11 in total, and they were all fantastic, and I have a lot of catching up to do, as I said. Thank you so much for doing this. Well, and the nice part is, and I hope you recognize the fact that this isn't all one type of music. There's lots of different sounds here, and I guess that's what I like the best, is that I like so much music that is out there, and will continue to follow what is to come much more than what has come before us,
Starting point is 02:08:02 because classic rock is fine, but you only feel old listening to it and you do feel young listening to a lot of this stuff. And I want to keep feeling and acting and looking and seeming as young as I can. And let me tell people listening that we will be posting this list. There's a Kick Out the Jam spreadsheet. I'll be tweeting a link
Starting point is 02:08:24 and you can find a link at torontomike.com, but we will document these 100 songs, and even I think we're going to try to make a Spotify playlist of the Dave Hodge 2018 100. So look for that. Again, thank you, Dave. Happy holidays to you and yours.
Starting point is 02:08:40 See you in 2019 for 100 more, Mike. Oh, I'd love it. And that brings us to the end of our 411th show. You can follow me on Twitter. I'm at TorontoMike. Dave is at DaveHodge20. Our friends at Great Lakes Brewery are at Great Lakes Beer. PropertyInTheSix.com is at RaptorsDevotee.
Starting point is 02:09:00 Big win in Golden State without Kawhi. What? Palmapasta is at Palma Pasta. Fast Time Watch and Jewelry Repair is at Fast Time WJR. And Paytm is at Paytm Canada. See you all next week. Rosie and Gray Yeah, the wind is cold But the smell of snow Won't stay a day And your smile is fine And it's just like mine
Starting point is 02:09:31 And it won't go away Cause everything is Rosie and Gray Well, I've been told That there's a sucker born Every day But I wonder who Well, I've been told that there's a sucker born every day. But I wonder who. Yeah, I wonder who.
Starting point is 02:09:52 Maybe the one who doesn't realize there's a thousand shades of gray. Because I know that's true. Yes, I do. I know it's true.

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